YOUNGSTERS playing with ball bearing guns in public run the risk of being shot by armed police officers. Tha's the warning from police after five youths with so-called BB guns sparked a major firearms alert in Maidstone.

Armed police officers were called to the Mid Kent Shopping Centre at Allington last Friday afternoon after a woman reported seeing youths brandishing guns. She believed they were going to raid the Waitrose supermarket.

Crowds of people watched as armed officers searched the area. They found five youths carrying three ball bearing guns.

Insp Bill Chilcott, of the Kent Police firearms unit, said: "Because they look so much like real weapons, they cause a lot of alarm to members of the public and require a response from armed police officers who are specially trained to deal with firearms.

"This has the potential for the person with the gun to be challenged by armed officers, which in extreme cases could even result in that person being shot."

BB guns look almost identical to real guns and, according to police, are readily available from shops. Insp Chilcott added: "We want to urge people not to take them into public places under any circumstances. Not only are these sorts of incidents unnecessarily distressing for residents in the area but can also get the owner of the BB gun into very serious trouble."